Family Ties, Dual Tone
by PsychicDreams
Summary: [Crossover with xxxHOLiC] Saiga makes the rounds. [Sequel to Family Ties]


"Sometimes I wonder if I've been a bad influence on you," Saiga commented.

His cousin, Doumeki Shizuka, didn't even look away from his target as he pulled the bowstring taunt and let the arrow fly. "Why?"

Given the impromptu reunion in the drugstore, the older man had decided to spend some quality time with his cousin. He could still remember when they'd been younger, Shizuka no more than five, and how whenever he'd come to visit the shrine and his aunt and uncle and grandfather, little Shizuka would cling to his leg and follow him just _everywhere_.

"Well," he explained, scratching his head, "I didn't think you'd follow my path, not only with men but with the supernatural stuff too. I thought I'd keep you safe if I backed off."

Shizuka had been physically weak and had been often dressed up as a girl, per their grandfather's insistence. Perhaps that was why Shizuka had often clung to him, since he saw Saiga as everything he wanted to be physically. He liked to think, though, as fond as he was of Shizuka, that maybe his cousin liked him for who he was, not just what he looked like.

"It was my choice." Shizuka only picked up another arrow without so much as a glance at him to continue practicing. He'd 'infiltrated' the school to find his younger cousin. There was nobody in the archery range and he lounged in a corner to watch the fine figure before him. He almost whistled. _He's turned into one good-looking kid. You'd never think they were the same, the him now and the him then. If we weren't related and I didn't have Kakei, I might actually have considered him…_

"Yeah, I heard," he responded dryly and took another long pull on his cigarette. "Was giving up half your damn eye your choice?"

"Yes."

"And the replacing blood thing? And the exorcising? The almost lost an arm thing? The sliced up palm from an exacto knife? And the soul stolen thing? Is there anything I'm _missing_ in this laundry-list of sacrifices?"

You would have to be an idiot not to pick up on his unhappy tone of voice. His Shizuka was _not_ an idiot and their eyes met for the first time since Saiga had shown up. "Yes. It was all my choice."

"Che." He stubbed out his cigarette and looked distinctly put out. He was protective of his cousin, his most favorite little Shizuka. One of his most potent memories, even among almost all with Kakei, were his cousin's little, adorably tiny hands as he clutched Saiga's pant leg and followed him around like a little baby chick. "You really like that boy _that_ much?"

"Would you go the ends of the earth for that man?"

"Who, Kakei? Without hesitation."

"I would go to hell and back for Watanuki."

"Doesn't seem like he thinks the same about you." It boggled his mind, really, how anyone could possibly resist his Shizuka. _I mean, hell, just **look** at those shoulders! And that strong face and physique! Sure, he's not as tall or big as me, but he is **stunning**. I swear, that Watanuki kid must be **blind**._

"I'm working on that."

Saiga laughed. "Yeah, you were always the type to never give up when you found what you wanted."

He was already standing and ready to leave when Shizuka's hand on his arm stopped him. He looked down, peering over the top of his sunglasses at his cousin. That Watanuki kid could probably read Shizuka, but not nearly as well as Saiga. Saiga had known him from childhood and it had taken everything he had to back away from his adorable cousin so he didn't get him hurt.

So much for that idea, thanks to that Watanuki Kimihiro.

"Saiga, remember, I did this of my choice."

"I know."

"I missed you too."

"Yeah, well, we'll be seeing each other more often, since obviously my plan of staying away from you to keep you safe is entirely destroyed," he said wryly and ruffled the short black hair in front him. He was already leaving the range and his cousin behind as he left a parting comment over his shoulder, "By the way, Shizuka, you are _hot_ when you do your archery shtick."

It didn't take long for him to find him. After all, searching was one of his best abilities.

Watanuki Kimihiro was reading under a tree, the wind ruffling the leaves of the branches that shielded the pale boy from the rays of the sun. Children ran around in the nearby park, but the younger boy didn't seem to give it any notice.

Really, if he was being _objective_ about this, he would say that being quiet like that and still, he looked like an untouchable and icy beauty. He complemented his little Shizuka quite well, being slender where Shizuka was built. Physically they were the perfect match. Personality, they also seemed to form the perfect foil.

But still…he wasn't sure if he was happy or not. Looks wise, he had no complaints with the two together, and given what he'd seen and heard about the boy's personality, he seemed like a nice boy that wouldn't hurt anything. He just couldn't get past the part that all the things that had happened to his cousin, all the bad things, had been because of him.

Saiga had an extremely long protective streak and Shizuka was almost as high as Kakei on that list.

"Hey kid."

"Eh?"

The boy looked up as he towered over him, his feet taking him close to him while he'd been lost in thought. "Oh, you're…S-Saiga-san? Doumeki's cousin?"

"That's me," he answered, for the moment being good-natured. He crouched in front of what appeared to be a nervous Watanuki Kimihiro. He wondered what Shizuka had told him about the older family member. "I wanted a little chat with you."

"About what?"

"About what's happened to my precious little cousin." When it appeared that Watanuki got what he wanted to talk about, Saiga sat down and continued. "You know, when he was tiny, barely up to my knee at that age, he was adorable. He was quiet then too, though. The only people he was close to was me and gramps. Weak then, but he's gotten really _strong_ don't you think?"

Watanuki cleared his throat. "I guess. I've, uh, spoken with your grandfather. Haruka-san showed me a picture once…but I've only ever known him like he is now."

"Yeah, I heard about you and your ability. I also learned that Shizuka caught gramps' ability to exorcise stuff even though he can't see it." Suddenly, Saiga's attitude became somewhat icy. "I've got special abilities too. I don't see a reason to tell you what they are, but I will tell you this: I haven't spoken to him in _years_. It was terrible, ya know, because I really do love Shizuka. The two most important people in my life are Kakei and him. I left him, stopped talking to him, 'cause I didn't want to get him involved in this whole mess." He paused and let that sink in. "And what do I find when I see him again? He's lost half his eye, gave up half his blood, and puts his ass on the line every single day. And for what? For you."

Watanuki bristled, which is the reaction Saiga had hoped for. "I never _asked_ him to do that! He does it because he wants to!"

"And you never say thank you, do you?"

"Did he—"

"No, Shizuka'd never say anything bad about _you_, but one of my specialties is finding out stuff, information and things. I know this supernatural stuff better and its inner workings longer you have and I know what strings to pull." Saiga leaned forward to loom over Watanuki an intimidating manner. "You see, that's what gets me about the whole thing. I can't really say much to Shizuka, since it's all his choice, but you're not even grateful for anything he does for you, are you? You hate him, right? You'll just let him go into danger and it doesn't matter to _you_. You'd just walk away, right?"

"That's not true!" Watanuki almost yelled back, fire in his mismatched eyes. "I am grateful to him!"

"You belittle what he does for you, though, don't you? What about that time when you were willing to give up your whole body to get eaten and not even caring about that very same body that he's fighting to protect."

"You don't understand!"

"Then explain it to me," Saiga retorted instantly.

Watanuki ran his hands through his hair and looked distinctly at a loss. "Look, I am more grateful than words can say, most of the time, that he helps me out. I just can't say it. I'm not…I haven't…I'm not used to people helping me, especially people who just get under my skin. I can't _help_ yelling at him. All he has to do is yell at me and I'm all out of sorts. My pulse gets faster and I get red all over and I just have the urge to do something! I overreact, I know. And he takes every chance he gets to make me mad! He'll pick the worst things for me to make for him for lunch! He pokes fun at me every day! He calls me an idiot!"

_This is sounding remarkably like the drama at the store with Rikuou and Kazahaya. _ "You hate him?"

"I…well, it's hard to…I guess…no, I don't hate him. I respect him even. But I can't help saying that I do when he just makes me so mad! Like that time at the drugstore when he said we were dating! He just does it to make me angry! I don't know what he finds so fun about me yelling and screaming my lungs hoarse! Sometimes I wonder if he really does hate me! He can't possibly like me!" the boy ranted.

_Oh. My. God. I didn't think that there were two Kazahaya's in this world. I didn't think it was **possible** that there could be two people this **dense**. Haven't these boys ever heard of the idea that maybe Rikuou and Shizuka tease them **because** they like 'em?_

Saiga sighed and couldn't deal with another pair of lovesick children. He already had Rikuou and Kazahaya. But at least he knew the truth. He had _had_ to know and talk to this Watanuki. If it looked like Watanuki, regardless of the rumors of him being nice, had merely been using Shizuka and his cousin's delicate feelings, he would have put a stop to it right then and there.

He hadn't really thought that Watanuki would have it as bad as Shizuka. Honestly, pulse beating faster, getting redder, overreacting but not hating…Not to mention given what Watanuki had done in return for Shizuka from what his information said. How Watanuki had given up his eye to remove the spider web from his cousin's _before_ Shizuka had given up half his eye. After talking to the boy, he was convinced that Watanuki was as dense as Kazahaya.

But he'd do something for his precious cousin, he thought with a smirk and stood. "I think I've got everything I want to know, but before I go, I'm going to leave you with some valuable information in dealing with my cousin, something that will come in handy a lot."

It seemed to appeal to the pale boy and he straightened and looked very interested. "Yes?"

He leaned down to whisper softly in Watanuki's ear, "He loves you."

There was no hiding the blush on those cheeks and the fervent denial spewed forth almost instantly. Just like Kazahaya. "_He does **not**!_"

Saiga laughed as he straightened up. "Does to. He's got it bad for you too. Ever wonder _why_ he does the things he does? It's 'cause he loves you, dense pumpkin."

Watanuki floundered behind him as he strode away with a smile to him. He didn't mind dealing with the two denying couples, but he would _never_ get involved if the four of them were together. Ever. He didn't have the stomach to deal with four hormonal teenage boys that were living in the worst case of denial he'd ever seen.

"Saiga, you're back."

Saiga sighed and happily wrapped his arms around his lover and began to kiss down Kakei's lovely, slim neck. "Mmmm."

"How was Doumeki-kun?"

"You can call him Shizuka, he won't care. And he was fine."

"And did you have a nice talk with Shizuka-kun's boyfriend?"

"Che. He's as bad as Kazahaya. He's living in complete denial about the whole _feelings_ thing."

"Oh dear…is it really that bad?"

"Terrible, terrible," he said, nuzzling Kakei's hair aside and slipping a hand beneath that white lab coat. "I'm quite happy, though, that that woman is afflicted with the kid. He's extremely dense, for one, and must be terrible to deal with on an everyday basis." An evil smirk crossed his lips. "The woman's probably pulling her hair out by now."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. I think it would be the other way around. You know how Yuuko-san just loves to tease and manipulate."

"Just like you. Oh well, it's probably the kid's presence that's keeping her away from you."

"Are you _still_ upset about that? It was so long ago and she didn't even mean it. It was just a tiny kiss between friends."

Saiga twirled Kakei expertly and pressed him down on the sofa in the office, looming over his lover. "I don't care, no one is allowed to kiss you except me. Not even her. I don't care if she's the most powerful evil witch this side of hell," he finished, pushing up that shirt and kissing that toned stomach. "You're mine."

"I'm beginning to see where Shizuka's possessive streak comes from."

"Heh. Now quiet, I'm trying to seduce you here."

** End **


End file.
